USA issues travel warning for Mexican resort town

A travel warning has been issued for Playa del Carmen, Mexico, following an unnamed threat that has closed the U.S. Embassy there.
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Tourists and passengers disembark from a ferry on to the wharf on Playa del Carmen on March 2. Undetonated explosives were found on another ferry that runs between the Caribbean resorts of Playa del Carmen and the island of Cozumel.(Photo: Gabriel Alcocer, AP)

The move comes after the Feb. 21 explosion on the ferry that links Playa del Carmen with the town of Cozumel. The incident injured 25 people, including two Americans.

On March 1, undetonated explosive devices were found by Mexico law enforcement on another tourist ferry. Both incidents are still under investigation. After that incident, the embassy prohibited U.S. government employees from using all tourist ferries.

The alert stopped short of prohibiting all U.S. travelers from traveling to the resort town.

"We released a March 7 Security Alert to all U.S. citizens due to credible information we received regarding this security threat in Playa del Carmen," a U.S. State Department official said in an email. "We recommend U.S. citizens planning travel to the area consider this information before making travel decisions."

The U.S. State Department earlier this year put Mexico on a “Level 2: Exercise increased caution” alert status due to crime. It warns that some areas are experiencing violent crime such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery.

U.S. government employees are not allowed to travel between cities after dark in many parts of Mexico.

The State Department has already advised travelers to avoid five states in Mexico due to crime. They are Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa, and Tamaulipas. Alcapulco is located in Guerrero.

Some tourist destinations have no warnings against them, including Mexico City, Cancun, and Los Cabos.

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A Pewaukee family traveled to an all-inclusive resort in Playa del Carmen in January. Their two college kids wound up unconscious, face down in the pool within two hours. Twenty-year-old Abbey died.
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